Wireless communications systems typically provide interconnect and/or dispatch voice communication services. Interconnect voice communication services are those typically provided by most wireless carriers as circuit-switched communications. Dispatch communication services are commonly known as walkie-talkie or push-to-talk (PTT) types of calls, such as the Nextel Communications, Inc. service identified by the trade name Direct Connect. Interconnect voice communication services provided by most wireless carriers can be provided between sources and destinations of different wireless carriers.
A dispatch user interface, which provides an interface for a user of a dispatch calling device, requires that dispatch ID numbers be stored in a database for quick lookup. An example of a database that is used to store dispatch ID numbers is a Microsoft Outlook database, which is also referred to as an Outlook data store. A Microsoft Outlook data store (e.g., Outlook Contacts) has a “radio” field for storage of the dispatch ID. Although the Microsoft Outlook data store contains a field that can be used for the dispatch ID, when a separate dispatch dialer application program is used, the mechanism for accessing and referencing the data store entries is cumbersome and inefficient.
Also, a dispatch dialer interface requires that incoming and outgoing calls be logged, so that a user can quickly reference them and redial the call. However, recent calls lists for interconnect dialers do not support features required for dispatch devices. For example, the recent calls lists for interconnect dialers do not support call alerts, group calls and private calls.
Additionally, the dispatch dialer interface needs to show the proper name associated with a dispatch ID, as it is typed into the user interface. However, interconnect dialers, such as the Microsoft Dialer, do not support this dispatch operation.